THE INCREDIBLE PARIS INCIDENT (1967)
aka Come rubare la corona d’Inghilterra, Argoman Superdiobolica

Article 3673 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 8-20-2011
Posting Date: 9-4-2011
Directed by Sergio Grieco
Featuring Roger Browne, Dominique Boschero, Eduardo Fajardo
Country: Italy
What it is: Superspy/supervillain/superhero mishmash

When the crown of England is stolen, the authorities call on a freelance agent to help them solve the theft, unaware that the agent is also the superhero/supervillain Argoman.

Well, here’s something you don’t see everyday; a superhero movie that plays like a supervillain/superspy movie. Our hero actually does have superpowers; he may have superstrength, but he definitely has telekinesis and lightning fast reflexes. He’s not only a hero (he sets out to defeat an evil woman who is intent on taking over the world), but he’s a villain as well; he has the real copy of the Mona Lisa among other trophies of his various exploits. The big difference between the evil woman and Argoman is that he does not take human lives. The movie is on the campy side (it’s full of silly dialogue), but it manages to stay on the side of “fun” campy rather than “cloying” campy. In fact, the whole movie is a light-hearted lark, and Argoman’s costume is not too bad. I really didn’t know what to expect from this movie, but I ended up enjoying it thoroughly, and that says something.